Buddhist Dhammapadha Sakka nurses the Buddha

Chapter XV - SUKHA VAGGA - Happiness

HAPPY IS HE WHO TASTES THE FLAVOUR OF TRUTH

BLESSED IS THE SIGHT OF THE NOBLE

Sadhu dassanam ariyanam sannivaso sada sukha
Adassanena balanam niccam eva sukhi siya. [206]

SORROWFUL IS ASSOCIATION WITH THE FOOLISH

Bala sangatacari hi digham addhana socati
Dukkho balehi samvaso amitten' eva sabbada.
Dhiro ca sukha samvaso natinam' va samagamo. [207]

ASSOCIATE WITH THE WISE

Tasma hi dhiran ca pannan ca bahussutan ca dhorayha silam vatavantam ariyam
Tam tadisam sappurisam sumedham bhajetha nakkhatta patham'va candima. [208]

It is good to see the Noble Ones (ariyas); to live with them is always a pleasure; not seeing fools is also always a pleasure. [206]

He who walks in the company of fools has to grieve for a long time.
Association with fools is ever painful, as living with an enemy; association with the wise is a pleasure, as living with relatives. [207]

Therefore, with the intelligent, the wise,¹ the learned, ² the enduring, ³the dutiful ⁴and the Ariya ⁵ — with a man of such virtue and intellect should one associate, as the moon (follows) the starry path. [208]

XV: 08 Sakka^* nurses the Buddha

About ten months before his attainment of parinibbana, the Buddha spent the vassa at Beluva village near Vesali. While he was staying there, he suffered from dysentery. When Sakka learned that he was sick, Sakka went personally to nurse him. The Buddha told him not to worry about his health as there were many bhikkhus near him; but Sakka insisted on nursing the Enlightened One until he recovered.

The bhikkhus were surprised and awe-struck to find Sakka himself attending to the Buddha. When he heard their remarks the Buddha said, 'Bhikkhus! There is nothing surprising about Sakka's love and devotion to me. Before his passing away Sakka once had the opportunity of listening to the Dhamma expounded by me and he realised the Dhamma. After his passing away, he was born as the present Sakka. All these happened to him simply because he had listened to the Dhamma. Indeed, bhikkhus, it is good to see the Noble Ones; it is a pleasure to live with them.'

Notes:

Pannam = possessed of mundane and supramundane knowledge (Commentary).

Bahussutam = endowed with the teaching and the realization (Commentary)

Dhorayhasilam =literally, engaged in the bearing of the yoke (leading to Nibbana) (Commentary).

Vatavantam = replete with morality (Sila) and ascetic practices (Dhutanga).

Far removed from passions.

* There are six heavenly realms, viz: Catummaharajika, Tavatimsa, Yama, Tusita, Nimmanarati and Paranimmitta Vasatti. Sakka is the ruler of the Tavatimsa Deva Loka. Although Buddhists worship and pray to Sakka to receive his blessing and protection, in the Dhajagga Sutta the Buddha says that Sakka is not free from mental defilements like greed, hatred, delusion and fear. However, it is a traditional belief among Buddhists that Sakka has undertaken to protect Buddhism.